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Lagunitas Hi-Fi Hops cannabis-infused beverages are hop-flavored sparkling water infused with cannabis. Hops is best known for its use in flavoring beer and in herbal medicine. This “drinkable” comes in two formulas, one is infused with 10mg of THC, the other has 5mg of THC and 5mg of CBD in the 12 oz. can. Zero alcohol, zero calories, zero carbs and vegan as far as I can tell.

Lagunitas in Northern California is one of the first beer companies exploring the cannabis edibles / drinkables market, with their partner Absolute Extracts. Absolute Extracts, well known for their strain-specific cartridges, provides the THC and CBD used.

Packaging

Hi-Fi Hops comes in a standard sized aluminum beverage can with a child-proof opening mechanism. The can is resealable, which is great for just trying a little or if you find half or a quarter of a can provides your desired effects. You “pop” open one side, then you slide the plastic lid over to reveal an opening. The lid locks open so it can stay open, or you can slide it back and re-lock it to reseal it.

Dosing & Taste

I first tried the 10mg THC product in the purple can. With new edibles or drinkables I always start with half of my usual dose, which for me is 5mg. The first time I tried Hi-Fi Hops I drank half the can then waited to see what effects I experienced taking 5mg. I drank it on a half-full stomach in the afternoon and I could start to feel the effects within an hour. Effects lasted four hours and indicated a full dose would be appropriate to try.

As soon as you open the can, you get a wonderful citrusy + THC smell. It almost smells like some the flower strains that have the aroma and taste of citrus, such as Clementine, Tangie, Lemon Haze and others.

At first it does taste like a very hoppy lite beer. It’s similar to a watered-down version of beer, like Budweiser or Schlitz or one of the mass produced American beers, but without the alcohol. It’s funny how the taste of one beer ingredient – hops – can fool your taste buds into thinking it is beer. I definitely noticed the absence of the alcohol taste after a few swigs.

From the citrus smell, I was expecting the taste to be more like a lemon lime seltzer. It tastes a little like that, but the hops/beer flavor definitely is stronger. I’m not a big fan of beer so the hops taste, while inoffensive, is not something I love. I do love citrus flavors, so I wish the flavor profile was stronger on the other citrus and not so hops forward.

Effects

As with many edibles, this product is not labeled Indica or Sativa, so I was not sure what to expect from the effects. I did some research on hops.

Hops can have an effect similar to Indica and Valerian. According to Wikipedia “Hops may be used in herbal medicine in a way similar to valerian, as a treatment for anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia. A pillow filled with hops is a popular folk remedy for sleeplessness, and animal research has shown a sedative effect.”

Knowing this, it’s a good assumption that this will have an effect similar to an Indica edible. Expect to feel relaxed, there might be couch-lock involved, depending on how you react. I wouldn’t expect to be too focused or productive. This isn’t like strong coffee or an energy drink you would take to perk up. If anything this might perk you down.

After my initial test dose indicated that the effects of the drink were mild for me, I tried a full dose, 10mg or one can. Initial effects for me were relaxation and Indica-type effects of a heavy head. I was concerned the effects would be the same as a depressant like alcohol at first. Then the heavy head went away and the relaxation stayed.

I experienced a good solid body effect, like I would expect from a strain that is good for relaxing the body without drowsiness. The head was not spacey or spaced out, I was able to make dinner without a problem. I was no more clumsy or forgetful than usual. I did under-cook the pasta a bit, but nothing more catastrophic. I did not experience a strong increase in my senses as I have with some edibles. A slight uplift in mood was a pleasant addition to the effects.

Just as some folks like a beer after work to relax, this would be appropriate for that time of day or whenever you want to relax and unwind. I found it perfect for dinner and a movie without the couch lock or passing out.

Pearl Mini cannabis-infused vitamin water lets you infuse beverages or food with with a mix of THC and CBD. They call it a food and beverage “mixer”. The small vial of white liquid is made with water, vitamins, THC and CBD cannabis extracts. Each vial of the Mini contains 2.5ml (0.08 fl oz) of liquid containing 10mg of THC and 10mg of CBD.

This mixer has 0 calories, no sugar, fat or cholesterol. As of October 2018, Pearl minis are available in CA and WA, made with SoRSE, which described by the maker Tarukino Holdings Inc. as “the first and only technology that produces entirely taste- and odor-free cannabis emulsions for infusion of medical and recreational products”.

Pearl20 should be refrigerated after opening and my dispensary keeps it refrigerated to keep it as fresh as possible.

Taste

There is a cute little insert card inside the package that says “Pearl is for mixing, not drinking straight. Mix with any of your favorite food or beverages”. This product is meant to spike your choice of beverage or food, not be taken straight.

Pearl20 is meant to be mixed with something, however for purposes of testing, I did take a small taste. While the website says “no weed taste”, that was not my experience of it straight from the container. If you have ever tasted cannabis oil, that is basically what this tastes like to me, plus a bit of a vitamin taste. It is very subtle and most folks wouldnt notice the taste. Pearl20 is not a product to take on its own, like a tincture.

Once mixed into a drink or food, the taste is barely noticeable when added to strongly flavored beverages. If you are very taste sensitive you might taste it in something bland like rice, otherwise it really is practically tasteless when mixed with any but the blandest food and drink.

If you are very sensitive to tastes, it is always wise to choose your beverage carefully. This may not be the time for that delicate jasmine green tea or cucumber-infused water. Something with a stronger taste is called for with this drinkable product. Some good choices for me have been iced coffee with almond milk, a cafe latte with cocoa and/or cinnamon or a cold plant protein drink.

I didn’t try it in food, but again I would look for food with a strong flavor, not add it to anything bland.

I’ve heard that salad dressing is one of the best ways to use THC like this, so you don’t heat it and reduce effectiveness. Maybe it’s time to try that homemade lemon vinaigrette? My favorite is a ginger lime cilantro dressing, so that may be how I try it with food. I’ll post about that separately.

Effect

As I understand it, CBD helps THC work and it also inhibits THC from having its full impact. Since this is a one-to-one (1:1) ratio of THC to CBD, I found the effect not as strong as other 10mg THC products that don’t contain CBD. I do appreciate the extra impact of the CBD, helping to reduce pain caused by inflammation and other benefits.

This is another product that is not labeled with the name of any specific strain or even if the canna is used is Indica, Sativa or a hybrid. The effects were very mild for me, I would guess it was a balanced hybrid as it didn’t not make me sleepy like an Indica or make me want to dance like some Sativas. My experience has been clear-headed, slightly uplifted and also relaxed. Munchies were not too much of a problem as the mild effect was also mild in that department.

Impression

I like how portable the pearl mini is, and it can go without refrigeration for one year until it is open, so it could be a good choice if you’re looking for portability. If you are sensitive to ingesting THC or you are not sure of your tolerance, a product like this can be a good place to start. You could take half of the dose then wait 2 hours to judge the impact if you were not familiar with it. If a mild dose of THC plus some CBD effects is what you are looking for in an edible or drinkable, this could be a great fit.

Choice

I love that you can now decide what food and drinks you want to make cannabis-infused. For beverages you are not limited to the mostly soda- and beer-like drinks that are infused with cannabis, you can infuse your own recipes for ginger honey lemonade, kombucha, even your favorite mocktails!

Even though I love to cook, I have not been one to try making my own edibles. Having a convenient size like this that provides a measured dose makes me more willing to try cooking with it. I hope they make this in an Indica or Sativa version at some point, even better some strain-specific versions.